My Weakness, My Strength, My Reason
by FireDragonBL
Summary: War…death…the necessity of strength in times like these…yes, that is why we need strength… That's what he thought. But, then why did he feel like something was missing? Did he need strength only to fight? Maybe one kunoichi knows the answer. More soon


_This is my LJ contest submission for "Strength"_

**_My Weakness, My Strength, My Reason_**

_What is the true meaning of strength?_

She wondered this as she leapt into the air, scissoring a grove of bamboo, as she heard the air whistle behind her. Just as she expected, six fuuma shuriken tore through the long green stalks, scything through air after her. She landed on her knees, and leapt away just as two of the spinning windmills struck, gouging long furrows in the earth.

_What is strength in the first place?_

She spun through the cold night air, as the shurikens continued to trail her. With the momentum of her spin, she drew her katana and knocked aside a Fuuma flying in from the side. She kicked off a tree and changed direction. She heard reassuring thunk of another of the fuuma lodging itself in the trunk of the tree.

_Where does it come from?_

She continued darting through the forest as fuuma closed in on her from all directions. She drew another katana and with her skills of a weapons mistress, she deflected all of them harmlessly. Save for one. She gasped as she felt the cold metal of a fuuma wing clip her side, releasing a spray of blood. She spun with the shuriken, reducing the momentum of the slash edge.

_Why am I weak…?

* * *

_

_Strength…_

Hyuuga Neji meditated silently. His eyes closed. He was feeling calm, at peace. It was a beautiful day. The bright sun shone down on the earth, as tall grasses coming up to his waist waved their slender stalk in the slight breeze. Several birds flew overhead, chirping together in cohesion. . But certain questions began to nibble at the edges of his mind…

_What can I do with strength? Why do I lust for so much of it? Is my need of it that great?_

He opened his eyes, and reality rushed back to his senses, flooding his mind with instantly. He stood alone on a hilltop, his robes whipping about in the wind. He took a deep breath as his pale eyes took in the surrounding scenery.

_Where was I again? Oh yes…Cloud nins…_

There were easily two to three dozen enemy shinobi surrounding him. Cloud nins. Konoha was at war with Cloud once again. Actually, they were at war with the Hidden Stone as well. The Leaf had been attacked, had survived, and was now on the offensive. Save the fact that a daring maneuver by a group of suicidal Cloud nins had managed to cut the offensive in half, effectively stranding half the Konoha Jounins in Lightning Country. Fortunately, most had managed to escape. Only due to the fact that Neji volunteered to stay back and hold them off, alone. His reason being, that Cloud had long wanted another chance at snatching away the secrets of the Byakugan. He would be perfect bait to draw the enemy towards him

_Why was he doing this? To serve Konoha, and do his duty?_

"I know that all of you Cloud wish to know the secrets of the Byakugan. Care for a demonstration?"

He flashed his trademark smirk. "BYAKUGAN!"

Veins popped out of the side of his head as he activated his bloodline. At this moment, the nearest enemy shinobi charged him in tandem, several rushing in at what would normally be a person's "blind side". Unfortunately for them, his blind side was one degree from his perspective. Neji stood deathly still, as they flew at him. With the Byakugan, he saw eight of them; three to his left, two to his right, two behind him, and one in front. Then another appeared above him. _Hn…nice stealth jutsu…_

All nine brought their respective blades down and around at him simultaneously.

"I admire the cooperative effort though…"

The nine ninjas were blown away, far over the heads of their comrades, who watched emotionlessly, as Neji's image blurred briefly. His speed was unmatched, and for that reason, he could hold his own against a legion of foes. The lifeless bodies fell limply onto the ground a clear twenty meters from the circle, their bodies part of a locus the same distance away from the closest ally. Such was there unnaturally accurate distribution of strength in Neji's blows.

Everything about him was perfect. He had honed all of his body parts equally, as well as each technique, not just perfecting them, but also creating breakthroughs with ingenious variations.

The cloud nin surrounding him clasped their hands together, as they summoned the art of the lightning. Neji was faster than lightning. A surprised cloud nin suddenly found that his heart had stopped beating, just as he was about to launch the spell. He gave a surprised, and then slumped backwards, dead before he hit the ground. Cackling bolts of electricity arced across the area, as the Cloud shinobi tried to strike Neji, but was too fast, and too resourceful. If he couldn't dodge the bolt, he would grab an enemy and throw him into the path of a bolt.

Neji streaked around, his blinding speed making mince meat of his opponents. With one kick, he knocked away several enemy nins. But a bolt barely missed him, singeing his clothes. He leapt up, as a salvo blasted through the air where he had just been standing.

He reached behind him and gripped the handle of his katana, as he hurtled through the air. He spun forward rapidly, whipping out his katana and slashing downward at the Cloud nin blocking his path. The tempered steel, dyed an unusual crimson, cleaved the ninja in two, releasing a flow of blood. Neji leapt away before his pure whites robes were stained red, giving his blade a terse shake to flick off the blood. He whirled about, seeing another nin behind him, and brought his blade about in a fluid motion.

He sensed, more than saw, the shinobi raising his blade to block, so Neji altered the angle of the blade. The net result was the chopping off of the Cloud nin's hand. With his left, he slammed a palm into the chest of the crying nin, stopping his heart with a burst of chakra.

His Byakugan warned him of the new Cloud nins appearing on either side of him, as he slashed away with his crimson blade, dealing death out to whoever impeded his path.

_Why…is my need for strength so great? Have I found my strength yet?_

He gritted his teeth and he spun up into the air like a top, going into his Kaiten. Spinning rapid, he released chakra from his palm, creating a barrier to deflect all projectile, solid or not. He could feel the small kinks, as shurikens and kunais were deflected. He stopped, as he felt the flood of weapons cease. He dropped gracefully onto the ground, and found him surrounded completely by Cloud nins. He looked at the red blade in his hand with a soft smile. _Tenten…_

That blade had been especially forged for him by the Weapons Mistress of Konoha herself. On his last birthday, she had timidly approached him beneath a cherry tree and offered him the sheathed blade, which he drew, and began to marvel at his lethal beauty. He had remarked that it was the finest piece of workmanship he had ever seen, bringing a smile to the kunoichi's face. He hadn't said it just to see her smile though (though he admitted it was part of the reason). The blade had saved his life numerous times, its sharpness never required to be re-honed, nor was it fragile. He recalled how he had managed to knock away a man-sized boulder with it, which didn't even put a scratch on the blade.

He had displayed it proudly to his fellow cell mates, and then he had dragged Tenten into the spotlight to compliment her on her skills. He chuckled, recalling how she had turned redder than a tomato. Of course, he never did that again, as he noticed that many of the male shinobis had started to notice her, and he couldn't help but be a little bit…protective of her. _Not that I think she's mine of course…_

He was snapped out of his reverie as the circle closed in on him.

"HAKKESHOU HEAVEN DANCE OF THE SWORDS!"

He once again spun like a top, except that this time he held out the blade of the katana. He ravaged through the mass, the rapid spinning of the blade slicing through everything, splashing the grass a reddish hue. When he stopped, his robes of white had finally been drenched red. He stood amongst a field of mangled corpses. He slowly stepped over the bodies, walking back, towards the direction of the Konoha battle lines. He sighed and deactivated his Byakugan. _War…death…the necessity of strength in times like these…

* * *

_

Tenten hurtled past two stunned Stone nins. Seconds after she had passed them, huge gashes appeared on them, and them collapsed, twitching and bleeding.

"Get out of MY WAY!"

Tenten shredded four enemy nins who were in her way with a series of spinning cuts. She had been taught the best sword techniques by Gekkou Hatashi in secret. He had sadly been killed years ago, during the Chuunin Exams, where Konoha had been betrayed by Sand and was nearly destroyed in a joint attack by Sound and Sand.

"TRIFOLD DANCE OF THE CRESCENT MOON!"

She moved so fast, that she literally created three illusions of herself, as she blew through another guard of flabbergasted ninjas, her black blade slashing through the bewildered bodies like a hot knife through butter. _Thank you Hayate-sensei, for that move…_

He brushed blood off her cheek as she continued running through the forest. The sun was already beginning to set. _Dammit, NEJI WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT KINDA SICK ASS IDIOT SENT A SINGLE NINJA TO TAKE ON TWO COUNTRIES WORTH?_

Her side wound was starting to bother her as well. She looked down, and with some annoyance noticed that it hadn't stopped bleeding. _That explains the slight dizziness and nausea then…_

Her own blade, christened "Shadow Cutter", was forged from a certain metal, an alien one that Neji had found on one of his missions. She later learned that he hadn't told her the full story. He hadn't been paying attention, and had been struck in the back of the head with the metal, nearly killing him. He just smirked sheepishly as Tenten bit his head off for being careless.

Tenten sighed to herself, sprinting through the forest. _This is when I need to be strong…for Neji's sake…just hold on, I'll find you.

* * *

_

_If I am able to defend what is precious to me, then I have truly found my strength. But then, what is my strength?_

Neji walked though the forest. His sixth sensed suddenly sent a shock down his spine, and he performed the Substitution Technique.

Several shuriken spun out of the trees and struck him, but he was engulfed in a puff of smoke, which cleared to reveal a pinioned log. From his hiding place, Neji noted that the shurikens had wires trailing behind them. Neji quickly guessed that they would send electrical surges down the wires to electrocute their enemies. Maybe that was why the log had literally turned into a candle upon contact with the shurikens. _Joy…Kaiten will be only 50 effective…I'll still receive the death-shocks…_

With his Byakugan, he spotted shadows moving rapidly around what would have been his normal peripheral vision, but of course, Neji was not normal by any standards. He acted quickly, creating multiple clones of himself, flashing handseals in tandem.

_Art of the Concealing Mist!_

Instantly, the air in the surrounding area became infused with water molecules, forming a thick, damp fog. He and his clones blasted out of the undergrowth, heading in several different directions. Moments later, after he had dispatched his intended target with a well placed kunai, he heard the screams of the other Cloud nins as his clones found them and did their work. _Hmm…the fog is so thick that even my Byakugan is having trouble seeing…_

Soon, his clones returned, and he sent them ahead of him to scout. He walked cautiously through the mist. It was at least a relief from the burning heat from the sun previously. He scanned the blurred environment around him. He heard some soft crunching noises behind him, but he didn't see anything. He stopped. A gigantic boulder crashed into him, crushing him against the base of an ancient tree. A Stone nin bounded into view to inspect the corpse, only to find there was none.

"You hit my after-image…but missed the real thing entirely…"

The shinobi whipped about, looking around. His eyes searched frantically through the mist, but to no avail. He couldn't spot his target.

"Try looking at you weapon of choice…"

The ninja jumped about, unsheathing a short sword, but Neji was far faster, as well as having the advantage of attacking from a high point. Neji dove off the boulder and with one hand gripped the man's sword arm, and with the other, poked two fingers into the man's jugular, stopping the flow of blood into his head. Seconds later the man was brain dead. Neji dropped the vegetated persona and left.

* * *

Tenten found herself surrounded. She was already on the limit of her mind. Panting heavily, she glared at her assailants. _Still Stone nins…where are the Cloud nins…?_

The clasped their hands together and performed rapid-fire seals. Tenten suddenly found herself off balance as the earth beneath her shook and cracked. Instantly, she was walled in by barriers of earth and rock. She looked above her, seeing her only exit. A massive summoned boulder was hovering over her head ominously. _Oh no…_

The boulder dropped, crushing the small earthen prison, along with Tenten inside of it. The circle of enemy nins, their job done, dispersed.

Tenten sighed to herself. _I'm such an idiot…_

She had managed to dig a small trench to hide in. She was now stuck in the hole with the boulder sealing her exit and air supply. Sighing again, she began to dig herself out.

_I wonder how Tenten is doing…_

Neji thoughts were constantly about, or leading to the brunette Weapons Mistress. He was feeling rather confused at the moment. Why did he keep thinking about her? Was she part of the reason why he volunteered? What was she to him?

A friend? No, much more than a friend. She was his best friend. His confidante, life-long teammate, and…?

_Is she something else than that?_

Neji thought back to when they had first met. They were seven years old…

* * *

_Neji walked into the classroom, and the female half of the class swiveled their heads in his direction. He snorted as he sat down, his movement followed by dozens of pairs of eyes. 'Girls…what weaklings…'_

_Then he noticed her._

_A girl sat by herself at the far corner of the classroom. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but instead had the sort of personality trait and facial features that made her appear, as some boys would put it, cute, with two distinctive hair buns. The most noticeable of her features was her warm, friendly smile, directed at no one, but open to all. Unlike the other girls, she showed no signs of interest in him at all. To top it all off, she was twirling a kunai around her wrist as though she had mastered it for years. He sighed and closed his eyes._

'_Interesting girl…', he mused to himself._

_At recess, he noted that instead of joining the other girls in gossiping about boys, she snuck off the school grounds. Intrigued by her behavior, he followed her silently. She walked through the streets of Konoha, where he easily avoided detection, as there were simply too many people and the air was filled with too many noises._ _Even he was having trouble keeping track of the girl._

_The_y _finally arrived at a hidden, undisturbed clearing, resting beside a small clean-seeming stream. There was a large tree in the middle, and the next most notable fact about the clearing, was that it was filled with straw and wooden dummies._

"_What in the world?" Neji stared. What kind of girl was this?_

_He then heard someone cluck her tongue behind him._

"_So, stalking little girls like me now, are we?"_

_With his Byakugan, he could see that it was the strange girl with the two hair buns and sleeveless, collared shirt. She had her head cocked to one side, and was staring at him with the most adorable expression known to man. He'd become very familiar with it over the next decade of his life._

"_So who are you and what do you want? I see all the girls in the class fawning over you all the time. Don't think that I will…"_

"_I never thought that…I just found you to be…intriguing…you're different…from the others…"_

"_So? Is something wrong with that?" Without so much as a glance, she hurled the kunai at the target beneath the tree. It struck the dummy squarely between the eyes._

_Neji smiled, "No no, I like difference…it's what sets you apart…form the other girls…nice shot by the way. I see you're already a weapons master…"_

_The little girl blushed shyly at the compliment. "Well, um thanks…you're really good at fighting too…I-I've watched you."_

_Neji smirked. "I've watched you…too."_

"_Wanna train with me?"_

"_Hn…"

* * *

_

From that day on, they never trained with any one else (save Lee of course). There was the reason! He volunteered to protect his loved ones. And, he found it hidden deep within his heart, the fact that he loved her. He loved that Weapons Mistress. He realized, that she had kept him determined and willing to live throughout all these years. There had been many times he would have killed himself, but he had always stopped when she came to his mind, an image of her beautiful smile.

_My lifeline…Tenten…my flower…my reason…I have to protect her…that is why…I must be strong…

* * *

_

The flower finally managed to dig herself out of the ground. She shook her head, freeing the clumps of dirt stuck in her hair. She also noticed that she was bleeding from a head wound. _Hmm…I think I got hit by the boulder…_

She continued running through the woods, brushing off her shirt. Her eyes searched the woods for any sign, anything that would give her a flicker of hope, that her lifelong friend was still alive. _Me and my bright ideas…disobeyed a direct order, went behind enemy lines alone, and for the heck of it, I don't feel freaked out at all! Huh…there must be something worth fighting for, something that everyone has one of…and mine…my reason is Neji…arrogant little Neji-kun…the idiot…_

She stomped off angrily through the undergrowth.

* * *

Neji grimaced as a rock bounced off his arm, leaving a small gash. He roared in anger and immediately disappeared with the rolling wind. The next second, the Cloud nins found themselves being attacked by apparitions of Neji, which disappeared after they struck. _My original move, the Flickering Dance of Ghosts…_

The shinobi moved away from the clearing, but to no avail, Neji was everywhere, his demon speed finding everyone, and he showed no mercy, for he knew he would be given none. Suddenly, the ground cracked, as pillars jutted out of the ground all across the area.

Neji suddenly found his himself sprawling across the earth as he tripped over a rising pillar. He planted a hand on the ground before he struck, and pushed off, heaving himself up and around in a flip to regain his balance. _The Stone nins…_

He rapidly leapt into the air, kicking away stone obelisks thrown at him. In midair, he realized the spikes were just distractions, as he was struck from above by a huge boulder. Before he hit the ground, he struck the side of the rock with both palms, blowing it apart.

He landed on all fours and rolled behind a large pillar. He couldn't see the enemy with the fog still in place. _How do they know my location then?_

The ground exploded beneath him, as he was lifted into the air by a massive chunk of earth. He was pinned to the piece of land by gravity as it rose quickly. Suddenly, flipped over and came crashing down. Neji gritted his teeth, as he managed to bring his hands together to perform a rapid series of handseals.

_The Art of Teleportation!_

He envisioned himself several meters away, out from beneath the crushing weight of the plummeting earth patch. In a blast of light, he found himself in that space. He landed neatly on two feet. With a wave of his hand, the fog disappeared, revealing the many Stone nins who had assembled. He was surrounded, and he finally realized the point of the stone pillars. _I have almost no space to perform my attacks…no room to run…it was all a trap…_

"Remember, don't destroy the head. We still need his eyes."

The leader started the group off with a handseal, simultaneously copied by the other ninjas.

_The Spire attack again…this time in mass formation…_

Veins bulged out of his temples as he took the primary Hakkeshou stance, crouching with his left foot straightened out and leading in front of him. He held his left arm aligned with his leading foot and held right arm high.

Stone spikes appeared in midair all around the pillar-filled area. Neji noted there were some large ones, as well as kunai-sized spires. With one last set of handseals, the spires flew at Neji.

Time slowed, as it does with veterans of war, when in combat. Neji could see all of the rock projectiles spearheading their way through the air towards him. He quickly formulated his battle plan, just as the nearest one came within his reach. _Hmmm…I strained my chakra pool to the max already…I can only perform several more Kaitens…_

He leapt up from his crouching position, spinning rapidly, going into his Kaiten. He whirled about, creating a barrier of protective chakra by rapidly releasing it from his palms. He could feel the impacts of the spires as they smashed into him. But his Kaiten was perfect. No kind of barrage could penetrate it.

Except when he needed to slow down and stop.

* * *

Tenten rushed hurriedly through the darkening trees. The sun had begun to set, and she still only found the bodies of previous battles. _Neji…where are you?_

Suddenly,Tenten heard it; a constant clanging noise. _Is it…the Kaiten?_

She leapt into the tree and started streaking towards the sound source. She found him performing his Kaiten, blocking hundreds of stone spires appearing in the air. The clearing had was lined with Stone nins. The barrage stopped soon though, as though the attacker ran out of ammunition. She could see Neji slowing down. Suddenly, earthen hands erupted beneath Neji and gripped his feet, and he tripped, falling onto the ground.

Immediately, the Stone ninjas took advantage of this and summoned more spires. Neji struggled to his feet and his hands lashed out.

She could hear him cry out his move, "Hakkeshou: 64 Divinity Palms!"

His blind spot. She knew his blind spot. He had told her years ago. And several spires were appearing dangerously close to it. That single degree of obscurity could cost him his life. She watched as he deftly deflected or destroyed the spires. She was some beautiful she saw in his movements, so full of grace, angerless. She had always watched him perform his moves during their one-on-one training, and each time, she couldn't help but be amazed by his skills and dexterity, and the fluidity of his movements. He moved like flowing water, not unnecessary jerks, not a single motion wasted.

She had long believed that she loved him. She had fallen for the genius when they first met. They had always been there for each other, and she wasn't about to break the tradition. She loved him to dearly to afford losing him.

She gasped, as she watched several stone daggers cut him. He had managed to dodge those, but she could tell. He was exhausted. He had been fighting for the past three days without food or sleep. She knew his weaknesses. She knew his limits. She knew he couldn't hold out much longer.

Tenten felt a tear trickle down her cheek, as she watched another small spike sneak past his defense and embed itself in his back. She had a flashback to when she had found him alone in the forest, shortly after the Sasuke-retrieval mission had been deemed a failure. He had two fist-sized holes through him; one in his shoulder, the other in his stomach. She also remembered the many spikes jutting out of his back. She thought he was dead. Until she felt his pulse.

She was brought back to the present as an explosion erupted. She blinked, and saw that boulder were dropping form the air, and Neji was only barely staying out of their paths.

Then she saw that one. That thing, javelin shape spire, complete with spiral grooves. And it was traveling towards his blind spot.

Without thinking properly, she launched herself out of the tree, at the same time unsheathing her katana and a kidachi.

The Stone nins nearest to her heard a whirring motion behind them, but before they could turn, they were struck down by Tenten's blades. She hurtled through the pillars, weaving in and out between them. Spires began to appear and lock onto her blurred form, as it hurtled at lightning speed towards the Hyuuga. Tenten whipped her kidachi at the spire. Her perfect accuracy remained perfect, as it knocked down the spire approaching the Hyuuga from behind. At the noise of the deflection, Neji whipped around to see Tenten sprinting towards him and two spires only a meter away from him.

Instinctively, she threw her katana at one of the mini-spires, knocking one out of the air, and then, seeing this as her last option, threw herself into Neji, knocking him into the ground.

Neji blinked, trying to regain control of his senses. He was lying on the ground, with something warm clutching him tightly around the waist. He had just been knocked roughly to the ground, by someone, who he could have sworn looked like Tenten.

He looked down. The two familiar buns instantly told him that the girl was Tenten. She looked up and smiled weakly at him.

"Sorry I was late…got held up back there by some Stone nins…"

"Tenten-san…you're…" he looked at her frail body, and noted with great alarm that the spire meant for him had embedded itself in her side. "You…foolish girl," he breathed.

Tenten shook her beautiful head, chuckling softly, "Neji…Neji…we made a promise to each other years ago…never to abandon each other. I never intended on breaking that pact."

"Tenten…why…why didn't you go back with the other jounin?"

Neji could feel the unfamiliar sense of tears forming in his eyes. Tenten shook her head again, and coughed out some blood, her small frame trembling against him. He wrapped his arms gingerly around her, holding her close.

"You know I'd never leave you…" Her breathing was becoming ragged and irregular, as was her pulse. Neji was becoming alarmed.

"You won't die," he stated flatly. "I won't let you."

"There's nothing you can do…Neji-kun…"

"Tenten, dammit…you're…the reason I continue to live! Without you, I'd go insane!"

Tenten smiled at him. "So, does that mean you love me?"

Neji opened his mouth, uncertain of what to say. He stared at her expectant expression, as though her life depended on his answer.

"Yes…Tenten-san, yes. I love you…so please, don't—"

"Well I love you too then! Hmmm…the Stone nins seem to be very respectful of the mood, aren't they?"

"Tenten! That's—"

"Promise me, you won't forget me. Promise me…to live your life to the fullest…"

"How could I forget you?"

"Well, that always…good to hear. I'm sorry for being your weakness, but I can be your strength as well…right?"

He nodded in confirmation, as the tears started falling from his eyes.

"Please, just hold on…" He looked at her, his eyes clouded with fear and anxiety. It was the first time Tenten had ever seen him in such a state. She wished she'd live to spend the rest of her life with him. But she could already feel her mind slipping in and out of unconsciousness. The edges of her vision was blurring rapidly, as the blood drained from her body.

"Tenten…"

"Gomen…"

Her head fell lifelessly onto his chest. Neji stared at her body. Impossible, was this. Tenten. She couldn't possibly be dead, could she? They'd been together through so much, only for this to tear them apart. Was fate mocking him, as to be so cruel as to take away his reason to live? Tears were flooding down his face now. He sobbed, for the first time in over a decade.

Neji brought her head to rest under his neck, as he hugged her limp body to his, crying, hoping that this was all just a bad ream, a nightmare. But it wasn't. Her cold, desolate features, once lively and radiant, were dead. Her pale ethereal face, seemed so peaceful, as though she was merely sleeping. Except she would never wake.

"TENTEN!"

He stood, trembling, as he gently laid her body down on the cold earth. He drew his katana, and picked up Tenten's own black blade. He turned, to face the swarms of enemies surrounding them. "You will pay, for taking her away from ME!"

Neji threw himself at the enemy, and they in turn gathered upon him. He was a demon, his blinding speed was slaughtering the Stone nins. He hacked and slashed left and right, until his robes were stained crimson again with a new layer of blood. He cried as he fought; cried for the times he could have had with her, but couldn't. Things he should have said to her, but didn't.

At last, he decapitated the last one with merciless anger. Slowly, Neji stumbled back to Tenten.

"It's done, Ten-chan…" He let the dual swords drop loosely from his unfeeling hands, as he fell on his knees beside her. Carefully, he picked her up in his arms, holding her. He wouldn't leave her. He wouldn't. Neji slowly drifted into unconsciousness, humming to the two of them.

* * *

Neji awoke in a bright-lit room with a gasp. Frantically, he searched the room for enemies, but only found his beeping health monitor and other medical equipment. He felt himself, and found that he was heavily bandaged and dressed in a patient's garb. He crawled out of bed and flexed his muscles. Funnily enough, they felt rather well rested and fine. _How long was I out?_

Then the realization dawned upon him. He remembered back in the forest. The screams of those he killed. But mostly, her smiling face. The beautiful face which brought him some unexplained joy every time he saw it. His strength and sole weakness in life; his one joy, and of course, his reason. She was dead.

The door opened, and his cousin, Hinata, walked in with a concerned expression.

"Neji-niisan! Y-You're awake! We were so worried about you!"

"Hinata-sama, where is Tenten?"

Her face fell, "I'm sorry Neji-niisan, but she's—"

Neji rushed past her and into the hallway, yelling "Tenten!"

_She can't be dead! She can't be dead!_

His frantic eye searched the halls, the Bykaugan activated. _Dammit, she can't be dead!_

Neji refused to accept the fact. Tenten just couldn't be dead, could she?

People, patients, doctors, and nurses all watched, as the Hyuuga, supposedly calm and collected, ran about the hall screaming in a panic. Neji ran into the lobby, and was suddenly struck by something extremely strong and landed painfully on his rear end. He sat up, feeling two familiar arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

"Neji-kun!" he heard a girl squeal from somewhere around his navel. He looked down and practically fainted. Tenten was flashing him her adorable smile. Yes, Tenten. The girl that should have died. Maybe some things should stay dead.

But not Tenten of course. Tenten deserved TO LIVE! Neji was definitely feeling a bit light-headed. _Damn morphine…_

He smiled at her, and soon began to laugh. Tenten grinned and joined, as the rest of the people ion the lobby stared at the couple in interest.

* * *

Neji, still laughing, pulled Tenten up to him and hugged her. Standing off to the side were a stunned Shikamaru and Shino.

"Ohmifskinggod…is that Neji laughing?"

"…"

"It'd be nice if you responded to this question at least."

"…"

"…"

* * *

Neji looked her up and down, and saw that she too was bandaged up heavily.

"Tenten? Explain yourself."

Tenten had been in the motion of getting up, but she froze. Then she collapsed on her back, laughing, punctuated by several obtrusive coughs. He quickly got up in surprise.

"Neji…I…wasn't really…mortally wounded….sure I was hurt pretty bad, but I don't die so easily."

"B-But you—"

"Wow, the Hyuuga Neji is stuttering, what a development. Anyways, Neji-kun, you've survived with seven odd spikes jutting out of your back and two hand-sized holes bored through your shoulder and stomach. You think I wouldn't? Hell, I only had one hole, and you weren't able to see through it."

Tenten again started laughing. "So sorry, but we were screwed. I figured that acting would be the only way to kick your ass back into shape. Use your anger, you know, to access your reserves." She smiled sheepishly at him, as she reinserted her IV needle into her arm. It had fallen out when she glomped him.

Neji stood there silently, as everyone watched the two with bated breath. Neji took the brief pause to process everything Tenten had just reinformed him of. A vein popped out of his forehead, as his left eye started to twitch uncontrollably.

"Tenten-san," his voice was icy and laced with honey-sweet venom, "Tenten-san?"

Tenten chuckled nervously. "W-Well, it saved our l-lives Neji!"

"Tenten…you have twenty seconds to haul your lying ass to the training grounds…I'll see you there once I find some thing proper to wear…"

"H-Hai!"

"Tenten?"

"H-Hai?"

Neji smirked and wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her close to him again. "I was joking…why would I ever let my weakness and my strength stray from me again?"

"Hyuuga Neji you are a riot, you know that?" Tenten laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

* * *

As they embraced, the people around them began reapidly conversing.

"Oh my god…Hyuuga Neji has a girlfriend?"

"Wow, that's soooo cute!"

Shikamaru scratched his head. "I don't get it."

Shino responded, "…"

Shikamaru stared at him in amazement, and then threw his hands up in frustration.

ok ppl tell me what u think!


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